May 24 obituaries and death notice
Published 7:41 am Saturday, May 31, 2014
Neal Parrish
Services for Neal Parrish, 69, of Albany, are at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 25, 2014 at Banks Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow in Hillcrest Cemetery. Brother W.A. Parrish and Mr. Norman T. Parrish will officiate. Mr. Parrish died Wednesday May 21, 2014 at his residence. He was born on July 23, 1944 in Moultrie and had lived in Worth County since 1982 moving from Albany. Mr. Parrish was formerly employed with Crete Carrier Corp. as a truck driver. He was an avid C.B. user and went by the handle “Suicide Kid”. Mr. Parrish was a U.S. Army Veteran having served during the Vietnam War. He loved his family, camping and fishing. Mr. Parrish was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include his wife, Cathy Crowley Parrish of Albany; son, Ray Carter and Tanya Carter of Albany; grandchildren, Bradley Carter (Crystal) and Amber Carter; great-granddaughter, Paxton Carter; mother, Mary Tillman Parrish of Thomasville; brothers, Norman T. Parrish (Wilma), W.A. Parrish (Becky), all of Thomasville, and Gary Reece of Albany; sisters, Nelda Ragsdale (Joe) of Calhoun, Rachel Hill (Jeff) of Pavo, Beth Parrish of Morganton, N.C., and Ava Parrish of Thomasville; a large number of nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews; and one great-great-niece; and caregivers, Loretta Thomas, Shirley Mitchell and Maria Senn. Mr. Parrish was preceded in death by his father, Ollice George Parrish. The family will receive friends on Saturday May 24, 2014 from 6 to 8 p.m., at Banks Funeral Home. Visitors may sign the online guest registry at www.banksfh.com. — Banks Funeral Home, Sylvester
Ray Hardy Ponder
Graveside services for Ray Hardy Ponder, 74, of Cairo, GA., are at 4 p.m., Saturday, May 24, 2014, in Magnolia Baptist Church Cemetery, Whigham, Ga. The Rev. Dr. Joe Allen will officiate. Honorary pallbearers will be Ray’s Breakfast Buddies from Pickle Patch Deli. Mr. Ponder passed away at his home in Grady County, Ga.,, on Wednesday, May 21, 2014. Mr. Ponder was born on June 30, 1939, in Cairo, Ga., to the late Hardy Frank Ponder and Amy Louise Atkins Ponder. He served his country in the U. S. Air Force. On Aug. 5, 1960, he married Virginia Collins Ponder, who survives. He owned and operated Ponders Automotive in Thomasville, Ga., until his retirement. Ray enjoyed his travels having been in all 50 states but also loved spending peaceful time at the river. He spent his free time working with wood and listening to bluegrass music. He was instrumental in providing a trailer and working in the aluminum can drive for the Friends of the Library, which was very important to him. Ray was a very loving member of his whole family and was always ready to give freely of his time and efforts to them. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Cairo. Survivors include his wife, Virginia Collins Ponder of Cairo; daughter, Pegi Rae Turner (Tony) of Cairo; sons, Andy Ponder (Beverly) of Cairo, Sam Ponder (Angel) of Cairo; grandchildren, Walt Ponder (Amanda), Rhett Ponder, Casey Ponder, Jessica Turner, Ansley Ponder, Collin Ponder, all of Cairo: great-grandchild, Meta Ponder of Cairo; sister, Bobbie P. Crum of Cumming, GA; and a host of extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Betty P. Welch, Hazel P. Simmons, Evelyn P. Haisten; and a brother, Quinton Ponder. Memorials may be made in Mr. Ponder’s memory to: First Baptist Church, Organ Fund, P. O. Box 1538, Cairo, Ga. 39828; Roddenbery Memorial Library “Friends of the Library”, 320 N. Broad St., Cairo, Ga. 39828. The family will receive friends immediately following the funeral service in the Fellowship Hall of Magnolia Baptist Church, Whigham. Guests may sign the online register at www.clarkfuneral.com. — Clark Funeral Home
Local death
Walter Pearl Shannon, 77, of Thomasville died Thursday at Archbold Hospital. Local survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Mark (Brenda) Golden, Terence (Pamela) Golden, James Shannon Jr. and Anthony (Karen) Shannon all of Thomasville. — Grooms Funeral Home